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November 22, 2017 - by Synoptek
Organizations can better position themselves for data security resiliency by first understanding which responsibilities for managing cloud security fall under their ownership and which can be addressed by a cloud provider.
The components of cloud operations can be categorized and aligned to company processes and policies. Fundamentally, these include: physical systems, foundation services, networking, hosts, applications, and data. The depth of security accountabilities companies carry depends on the type of services utilized, and contrary to some assumptions, they are not all provided. In fact, most cloud management risks companies are responsible for are little changed from their on-premises counterparts, with the one notable exception of physical security — the degree and location of accountability differ.
A principal advantage of using cloud infrastructure is no longer having to worry about the hardware, facilities, and operational aspects of datacenter management. A cloud provider, such as Microsoft Azure, must ensure through regulatory audits that physical security requirements are met effectively. Azure employs strict facility and asset access control through a combination of token-based and biometric security protocols.
By advancing the stack of services, responsibilities increase. Due to issues of privacy and confidentiality, Microsoft cannot perform higher-layer security tasks as it would require Microsoft to have access and insight into customers’ environments. Instead, Microsoft provides mechanisms for customers to have visibility and control over their own virtual systems. This is where a Managed Cloud Services partner such as, Synoptek delivers value. They leverage the Microsoft Azure’s native tools and services to enable a more secure cloud. Beginning with storage and networking, an experienced cloud architect will know how to provision security controls according to established industry best-practices. Choosing the right level of encryption based on the types of information it will secure — and implementing it for data at-rest and in-transit — can better protect resources in the cloud, even in the event of a breach. In addition, employing a backup policy is a customer responsibility that could save a company from destruction by a ransomware attack.
Some customers have the misconception that cloud computing fixes their security concerns merely by the virtue of it being run by trained experts. And, while this is certainly true for the platform products and services offered by the CSP, it is also true that customers still need to take a proactive approach to security and risk management just as they would normally do for applications deployed in their own datacenters. Here, again, Synoptek can lead the development of processes and policies to prevent, detect, and re-mediate from an attack.
Similarly, of the many recommendations customers will be inundated with during a cloud migration, comprehensive logging and monitoring are among the most important. Effective logging and analytics will not only help identify usage trends and inefficiencies, but they are also invaluable data for post-breach forensics and even in spotting malicious intent before it results in a compromise. Synoptek’s expertise in cloud log analysis and automation will help identify these factors across both the chosen Cloud platform and enterprise applications. This results in greater operational visibility, which, in turn, reduces overall risk.
Partnering with the right managed services provider to design and implement cloud strategy can save not only time and effort, but will help optimize long-term investments and make new virtual environment as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
Learn more about improving operational efficiency and reducing risk in the cloud by reading Synoptek’s white paper on Unlocking the Power of the Public Cloud, or by contacting us at 888-796-6783.
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